Volume 24 Issue 24 Issue 2/ 2014 2/ 2014 1

The Earth Needs the Bull and Cow

International Society for Cow Protection ISCOWP ISCOWP.ORG News / Volume Volume 24 Issue 24 Issue 2/ 2014 2/ 2014 1

Amrita is the princess of the ISCOWP herd. 2 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News

ISCOWP Profile Contents . The International Society for Cow Protection, 4 Inc. (ISCOWP) was incorporated in the USA, Letter from Editor

March 1990, as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, tax- exempt organization. William and Irene Dove 4 Credits (Balabhadra das and Chayadevi dasi) are its managing directors. They are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Be a Vegetarian /Krishna- Prabhupada, the Founder Acharya of the dairian & Stop World Hunger International Society for Krishna Con- sciousness (ISKCON). Through their spiritual 5 Part 1: Cow Protection and master's teachings, they have imbibed the Vegetarianism practices and benefits, both spiritual and The negative effects of supporting the material, of lifetime cow protection. Cow protection means enabling cows to live out meat industry. their natural lives with love and affection. The tenets of cow protection are universal and 9 Part 2: Diet Change nonsectarian, available to all regardless of Can Save the World race, creed, or nationality. How becoming a Krsna-dairian/Vegetarian can prevent cow slaughter. Mailing Address ISCOWP 885 Oxen Drive Our Father the Bull Moundsville, WV, USA, 26041 12 Part 1: How Green is Your Tractor? Phone Ox power vs. machine power. 1.304.843.1658 15 Part 2: Oxen Can Save the Planet Donations and Financial Reports The benefits of working with Oxen. USA tax deductible number: 23-2604082. A copy of each year’s ISCOWP IRS Form 990- EZ is available at www.guidestar.org How the Cow and Bull To donate online: www.iscowp.org/donations.html Benefit Our Society To donate by mail: Make out check to ISCOWP and send to IS- 18 Part 1: Cow Dung and Urine, COWP mailing address a Bio Resource The mystical potency of cow waste. E-newsletter Monthly Send us an email with subscribe in the subject. 21 Part 2: Cow Manure is an Environmental Hazard, Or is It? Cow Products The industry vs. the cow, who is at fault? www.iscowp.org/cowproducts.html

Adopt A Cow Violence To the Cow and Bull www.iscowp.org/adopt-a-cow.html Creates Violence to Humankind Internet [email protected] 25 Part 1: Why September 11? Animal www.iscowp.org Slaughter = War www.youtube.com/user/ISCOWP108 A large range of quotes connecting animal www.facebook.com/ slaughter to human suffering. internationalsocietyforcowprotectioniscowp

29 Part 2: The Cause of Animal Slaughter

Dear. Friends Credits

Hare Krishna! What is a Krishna-dairian? This newsletter contains a collection of articles Priyavrata das (Paul Rodney Turner), concerning ecology, cow protection and director of Global Food for Life, has coined spirituality and examines the connection the name Krishna-dairian for one who between these topics. takes milk from only lifetime protected cows and not from the commercial dairy As members of the International Society for industry. Lord Krishna was a cowherd Cow Protection, we follow the ancient practice and taught cow protection. Hence his of Bhakti Yoga and the instructions of the Lord followers protect cows and by not Himself and His followers that can be found in supporting the dairy industry less cows the Vedic scriptures such as the Bhagavat Gita are bred and slaughtered. and the Srimad Bhagavatam. We are eternally thankful to our spiritual master A.C Articles Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada for his We thank the following persons for writing translations and commentaries of these books the articles in this booklet: Chand Prasad, by which we are able to gain access to and Sukhayanti devi dasi, Balabhadra das and quote this ancient spiritual wisdom. Chayadevi. Some of the articles appeared in previous ISCOWP News issues but have One of the main topics discussed by our never been gathered together in one spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami publication on the topic of cow protection Srila Prabhupada and the Vedic literatures is and ecology. If excerpts are used please the importance of cow protection for success on give credit to ISCOWP and the authors. the path of self-realization and re-connecting with God. Photographs All photos are taken by the ISCOWP staff In the following articles, we will discuss the and property of ISCOWP unless otherwise various aspects of the importance of cow stated. Photographs on pages 11, 25, and 27 protection for a healthy environment, society have been contributed by Radhapriya and for self-realization. Even though we may McCabe. The front cover photo is of not stress in all of our articles the direct Krishna and Gourangi pasturing on top of connection between God realization and cow one of the hills at ISCOWP farm. Gracing protection, we would like to stress in this the back cover is the Brahman ox introduction that in fact they are inseparable. Priyavrata, the aspiring head of the herd, We urge our readers to read this newsletter to on an ISCOWP hilltop with his friends. its end in order to get a better understanding not only of how cow protection is good for the The name International Society for Cow environment and society but also how it is Protection (ISCOWP) and the Lotus/Cow crucial for success in our search for God. symbol are registered service marks of the International Society for Cow Protection, Inc. Your editor, Chayadevi located only in Moundsville, W.V. USA

4 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News

Be a Krishna-dairian/Vegetarian and Stop World Hunger Part 1: Cow Protection and Vegetarianism

Eight calves were rescued by ISCOWP from the auction barn. Abhay is lovingly greeted by Fil.

hile disregarding the harm- pounds of grain are required to produce ful economic, environmental, one pound of beef. Moreover, the conse- and social impacts of indus- quences of the meat culture include dis- trializedw agriculture, many individuals in eases such as bird flu and mad cow, which India are embracing the meat culture, even are costly to contain and may also pose a to the point of recommending cow threat to human life. slaughter. India can meet its growing demand for food through farming systems The solution to India's challenges lies not in which bovine animals are bred to obtain in the abandonment of compassion to- bulls that are used to provide draft power. wards the cow, but rather in a fundamen- Such bovine based agricultural models al- tal reordering of agricultural production low India to cope with rising energy prices systems as well as a correct understanding and effectively eliminate unwanted cow of cow protection. Specifically, the under- population by transforming them into an as- lying principle of cow protection is to en- set, rather than a liability. Simply sanction- gage and employ bulls to work the land, ing the slaughter of cows falls far short of a implying that cows are bred only to the holistic solution. Meat diets are irrational, in point where the bovine population meets that they are a wasteful use of the earth’s re- the demand for draft power, rather than sources. For example, approximately sixteen the demand for the by-products, e.g., milk.

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In sharp contrast, raising cows for the pur- Tamil Nadu, Vazhviyal Multiversity, has pose of producing milk is an egregious er- produced an herbal pest repellent from ror—the cow will not produce milk unless knowledge derived from Vriksha it has calves, and since half will be male, Ayurveda. Ideally the repellent contains the result is an excess bovine population neem, tulsi, and datura, which are fer- that is costly to support. Farming practices mented in cow urine for 10 days. This so- that do not engage the bulls will essentially lution can be used as an herbal spray condemn them to the slaughterhouse, since before the insects appear [11]. they will have no economic value other than their meat. Industrial livestock farming systems are in fact incubation centers for disease out- After calibrating the growth of the bovine breaks. Seventy five percent of emerging herd to the demand for draft power, the by diseases in humans are of animal origin -products such as manure, urine, and milk [12], and humans are at risk of being can be put to good use. Cow dung, for in- killed in large numbers by cross-species stance, is widely burned as a cost-effective transmission of illnesses between, pigs, fuel in rural areas. India would be ill ad- humans, birds, and other animals. Over vised to replace manure with natural gas the past 25 years, 38 illnesses have or coal, and moreover, it is completely irra- jumped to humans, as disease-causing tional for India to intensify her dependence pathogens have mutated and moved up on these non-renewable energy sources the food chain [13]. Various countries are that are likely to continue experiencing attempting to develop a coordinated sharp price increases. Intensive "modern" response to these diseases, as they tend to agriculture is not a practical example or roadmap for India to follow, in part be- Industrial livestock farming cause it is a vast user of fossil fuel, mainly systems are in fact for the production of animal feed. Incubation centers for In the U.S., one ton of oil (2000 pounds or disease outbreaks. 6.75 barrels) is required to produce one steer weighing 1250 pounds [8]. One acre spread from one part of the world to of corn production in the U.S. requires ap- another. Unfortunately, government proximately 140 gallons of oil [9], and if planning commissions and task forces fail the corn goes to livestock, only about one to recognize the value of following basic fifth of the protein is returned as food, and regulations that include vegetarianism, four-fifths of it is lost [10]. choosing instead to prop up destructive and impractical systems of animal The value of cow urine-based pesticides agriculture. Animals tend to be housed in provides further evidence of the utility of extremely crowded sheds, surrounded by cow protection. For example, in Tamil their own fecal matter. High Nadu, India, more than 8,000 farmers in 10 concentrations of ammonia in the air districts have been using herbal pest destroy the animals' lungs and weaken repellents. A Karikali-based group in their immune systems. The result is that

6 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News they are highly vulnerable to deadly dis- cannot be dismissed as simply the view of ease outbreaks such as hoof-and-mouth uninformed extremists, particularly since disease, mad cow disease, Mycobacterium the Senior UN System Coordinator for paratuberculosis (which is thought by most Avian and Human Influenza, Dr. David scientists to cause Crohn’s disease in Nabarro, described bird flu as a threat to humans), and bird flu. Moreover, because “the survival of the world as we know of the crowded conditions, when one ani- it.” [16]. Intensive animal agriculture is the mal contracts an illness it spreads rapidly functional equivalent of a time bomb, as to others. Farmers attempt to prevent and these viruses are constantly changing, and control disease outbreaks through heavy weaker forms in birds are known to doses of antibiotics, which are only tempo- mutate in just months into highly pathogenic forms for which there exists no effective treatment or vaccine [17].

Millions of Indian farmers and business- men have been drawn into the darkness of the meat industry, and they have experienced substantial financial losses due to outbreaks of animal diseases. Several outbreaks of bird flu were reported in two districts of Maharashtra (Navapur and Jalgaon), as well as in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, over the period spanning January 27 and April 18, 2006. Although these disease incidents were initially reported at the end of January, it was not until February 18, 2006 that India issued a Balabhadra is helping Abhay out of the trailer. notification of an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus rarily effective against bacteria and com- subtype H5N1 in poultry birds in western pletely ineffective against viruses such as India. After implementing costly control bird flu. measures, which included killing more than one million birds and destroying over Avian influenza is prevalent on Chinese 1.5 million eggs, as well as cleaning and poultry farms, and the widespread use of sanitizing the infected area, the the drug amantadine to control viral government of India declared, perhaps outbreaks in animals has made the bird flu prematurely, that India was free of bird flu resistant, rendering the drug useless to on August 11, 2006 [18]. The presence of protect people [14]. Avian influenza poses bird flu was again officially confirmed on a grave threat, with the potential to kill one 15 January 2008, and within three weeks of in eight human beings, including 40 a massive culling operation, 3.7 million million Americans, and cause a collapse of birds were killed [19]. the world economy [15]. This assessment

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 7

In many instances, poultry farmers refuse to It is interesting to consider the remarkable kill their birds despite government issued length people will go through just to satisfy directives aimed at the destruction of their taste for meat, even to the point of potentially infected chickens. Poultry risking pandemics and millions of human owners obviously lose money when their deaths that originate from livestock flocks are eradicated, and although the diseases. Be that as it may, we do not government attempts to provide financial advocate vegetarianism as the end all, be compensation for the farmers, some local all. Rather, we recognize that meat eating is officials have been known to take a big cut the main barrier to understanding God. of the compensation. Culling teams have Whatever seemingly pious things meat also protested against pressure from local eaters may do, those who are animal officials to sign false cull certificates to killers, meateaters, can never understand God. It is simply not possible. So the real ...the underlying principle of objective is spiritual advancement, which is demonstrably practical, for the following cow protection is to engage reason: the most life-threatening problems and employ bulls to work the can be solved in an almost incidental land, implying that cows are manner, simply as a by-product of bred only to the point accepting the spiritual principles that were taught by Srila Prabhupada. where the bovine population meets the demand for draft Partial list of references: power, rather than the [9] Pimentel, David, 2001. Encyclopedia of Physical Sciences and Technology, demand for milk. September 2001. [10] McLaren D., Bullock S. and Yousuf N., boost their compensation claims. 1998. "Tomorrow's World, A report from Consequently, the meat culture breeds Friends of the Earth". London, Earthscan corruption as well as animal diseases [19]. Publications Ltd, chapter 6, 1998. In conclusion, commercial agriculture and meat-centered diets incur risks that are Chand Prasad is a Ph.D. Agricultural completely unnecessary while failing to Economist. His areas of specialization are provide a sustainable substitute for cow international trade, finance, and industrial protection. A key principle of cow organization. This article, written in 2009, is protection involves breeding bovine the abbreviated version. The complete article animals to obtain bulls that are engaged in can be read at: http://www.iscowp.org/practical working the land, as opposed to excessively -benefits.html where all the references are expanding the herd to obtain by-products quoted. You can contact Chand Prasad through such as milk. In contrast, commercial his website. agriculture depends heavily on petroleumbased chemical inputs, in the absence of which conventional crop yields would fall sharply.

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Part 2: Diet Change

Can Save the World

n 2014 the words “vegetarianism” and However, the importance of stopping meat “veganism” are household words. consumption is much more profound than I Back in the 60s and 70s and even up to the fact that it is not environmentally and the early years of the 21st century one socially sustainable. The Vedic wisdom would be mocked or looked upon strangely teaches us that all living beings have a soul, if he or she would confess their refusal to therefore humans should see no one as a eat meat or dairy, today it is quite a differ- source of food. While some animals do not ent story. Vegetarianism and veganism have a choice, having been born predators, have become part of our everyday modern humans who have the intellectual capacity life-style. In big cities such as Toronto and to choose between right and wrong and the New York, one can easily find restaurants digestive system to consume vegetables and shops dedicated to vegetarian/vegan and grains should avoid killing in order to food and to a healthy life-style. sustain their bodies.

In fact, a UN report from 2010 urges a glob- And what about dairy? The Vedic scrip- al move to a meat and dairy free diet. An tures after all praise the glories of milk and article posted in the Guardian News and its by-products such as yogurt, butter, ghee Media on this report [1] states that “as the and milk sweets. According to the Vedic global population surges towards a pre- scriptures, milk is an essential part of the dicted 9.1 billion people by 2050, western human daily dietary needs, mostly since it tastes for diets rich in meat and dairy prod- helps develop the finer brain tissue needed ucts are unsustainable, says the report from for spiritual realization and philosophical United Labour government on the econom- understanding. Milk is also considered a ics of climate change”. According to the meal in itself and for thousands of years, article, the UN found that the diary and saintly mendicant preachers would travel meat industry is accountable for “70% of from village to village begging only milk global freshwater consumption, 38% of the that was freshly milked at the moment of total land use and 19% of the world's their arrival. They would eat no other food greenhouse gas emissions,” it is therefore but milk. much more environmental friendly to turn to a vegetarian diet. Moreover, in order to Sadly, in our current society, cows are being be able to insure that all of the population mistreated and abused in the commercial is well fed and prevent world hunger there diary industry, once they cannot produce is a need to stop the meat and dairy con- enough milk, they are sent to slaughter. sumption since more people can be fed on Their calves, male and female, are separated the same amount of agricultural land that from them from day one, usually not al- is now used to feed cattle. lowed to even drink once their mother’s milk. Moreover, the male calves are imme-

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 9

Balaji is feeding Lila on her first day at the ISCOWP farm after being rescued along with eight other calves from the auction barn. diately sent to slaughter. Therefore, the The scientific world is starting to catch up dairy once considered pure became contam- with this ancient wisdom and on the inated by the violence the cows and their Brown University website some infor- babies experience as part of the process of mation regarding vegetarianism can be providing milk for human beings. found [2]. According to the website being a vegetarian helps prevent various diseas- Hence, while we do not reject milk per say, es and, if done properly, should not pose we refuse to consume any milk and it’s by any health risks or create any dietary defi- products that was not given by protected ciencies. cows. Only cows who are loved and treated with respect, cows who are allowed to Moreover, ancient cultures, like the Vedic live in peace until the end of their natural one, prove to us that in actuality there is lives and cows who their calves are not no need to consume meat products in taken away from them for slaughter can be order to remain healthy. According to the considered happy cows. We lovingly ap- Vedic teachings, human beings are natu- proach such cows for their milk, and in rally vegetarian, it is only on extreme cir- return, we make a lifelong promise to them cumstances that one may eat meat. We to protect them until the day they die. We therefore see that meat eating is not an do that out of respect for them as spirit integral part of a society aimed at God- souls and out of respect for them as moth- realization. In fact, we learn from the Ve- ers, since they provide us with food. We dic wisdom that meat eating is detri- call ourselves Krsna-diarians. mental to making any spiritual progress. Srila Prabhupada explains in one of his lectures, how it is impossible to develop

10 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News finer brain tissue, necessary for under- prevents one from having access to higher standing higher knowledge for those who philosophical matters such as the under- consume meat: “The gross materialists, standing of the purpose of life and the they are animal-killers, gross materialists. reason for the existence of all that sur- That, these animal-killers, according to rounds us. The conclusion is, if one wants Bhāgavata also, they cannot understand to be able to understand the science of finer things. Those who are animal-killers God–realization, one cannot take part in and animal-eaters, they cannot understand violent acts such as meat-eating and con- finer philosophical matter. Their brain is suming milk products from the commer- gross. Therefore they are much inclined to cial milk industry. mechanical way of life. Machine. Machine is gross.” [3]. In another occasion he states: Written by Sukhayanti devi dasi “That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that "One who is killer of animal, he cannot List of references: understand the spiritual science.’ Vinā [1] The Guardian News and Media— paśughnāt. (SB 10.1.4) This is the statement. www.guardian.co.uk/ Paśughna means the animal killer. There- environment/2010/ jun/02/un-report- fore the first prohibition is stop this animal meat-free-diet killing. Otherwise, this dull brain will not [2] Brown University—http:// be able to understand. They are not fit for www.brown.edu/Student_Services/ understanding.” [4]. We can therefore un- Health_Services/Health_Education/ derstand that vegetarianism and not con- nutrition_&_eating_concerns/ suming milk from unprotected cows is not being_a_vegetarian.php merely a matter of being compassionate, [3] Srila Prabhupada, lecture – Day after Sri being health conscious, or concerned about Gaura-Purnima – Hawaii, March 5, 1969 the environment, it is a matter of concern to [4] Srila Prabhupada, morning Walk - those desiring to make spiritual advance- June 29, 1974, Melbourne ment. If one strives to realize ones connection with the supreme, how can one reach such a goal while at the same time committing violent acts towards other living beings?

It is our activities that influence our consciousness, it is what we do throughout the day, who we associate with and the place we “hang out” at that determines what kind of a person we are. Whether we like it or not, everything that we do, say, hear or see affects our consciousness and acts upon Padma-ganda is one of our smallest calves, us in a subtle way that we cannot always weighing only 40 pounds when saved at perceive. Eating meat also takes a toll on the auction barn. the people who engage in such a gruesome activity. It covers ones consciousness and

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 11

Our Father The Bull

Part 1: How Green is Your Tractor?

Art by Janardhan Sakar

n the early nineties, we traveled through- Making of a Tractor out the USA with a team of oxen to show Many ecologically conscious people seem I people the usefulness of the oxen as part of to take tractor-powered farming for grant- our educational presentation of cow protection. ed. The first question we ask these people We often accompanied the Festival of India to is, “How many mining operations do you various major cities, led the Rathayatra parade need to make a tractor? ” with our team and after the parade corralled the oxen in the local park and distributed cow pro- You need mines for iron, coal, limestone, tection literature. Thousands of people viewed manganese, nickel, copper, bauxite, tin, the oxen and asked many questions. To explain and zinc, just to name a few. For these our position, Balabhadra das (William E. Dove) minerals, you have to rape Mother Earth would give a description of the petrol-powered and create hellish conditions for thousands tractor to show the worth of the oxen. of workers. And, that's just step one.

Although this description was given in USA Next, there is the smelting plants, where cities, utilizing the tractor over the ox will meet the ores are broken loose and cooked with the same environmental problems and down. Now we are talking about big difficulties for farmers worldwide, specifically industry, huge factories, more hellish in India where reports of farmers committing work. And, we're getting into large-scale suicide are alarming. pollution.

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From the smelting plants we go to the When you start killing bulls, you are des- factory where the tractor is put together tined to receive very negative karmic reac- Still more hellish working conditions, still tions. Some of the karmic reaction begins more pollution. right away. For a start, now you have hap- less people working in slaughterhouses. Now the tractor is finally assembled and These slaughterhouse jobs are amongst sitting in the parking lot without tires. the most dangerous and demoralizing. Where do we get the materials for the tires? People used to go to tropical countries and “Occupation with highest employee turno- pay workers a few cents to cut rubber trees ver rate in USA: slaughterhouse worker. and bleed them for latex. These days we Occupation with highest employee rate of have steel-belted radials, made from syn- injury in the USA.: slaughterhouse work- thetics derived from petroleum. er.“ -- Diet for a New America, John Robbins

Speaking of petroleum, now that we have But the farmer doesn't think about that. our tractor sitting on its tires in the parking He thinks, “I don't have to feed those oxen lot, what does it run on? You cannot put anymore. That profit goes into my pock- grass and oats in that tank. You need petro- et.” At the cost of their lives. leum, which you might have to fight for since petroleum is not a renewable re- The farmer is also forgetting the cost of source. To prove it is yours, you may have acquiring the tractor. He has lost the cost to send troops to the Middle East to kill of feeding his oxen and acquired the larg- men, women, and children. You might have er cost of paying off interest loans to pay to sacrifice your son or even your daughter. for his tractor. These loans often come If you win, when the man with the Exxon with high interest rates. On the economic Valdez oil tanker ships your oil across the market, a tractor is worth more than an ox. ocean he spills half of it into the sea. Selling his oxen to the slaughterhouse did not pay for his tractor. Whatever oil you cannot currently use goes to the refinery. If you have ever driv- “Several small farmers in Punjab have en through a refinery town, you know the committed suicide because of inability to air smells foul, and the water is so bad that repay loans taken to buy tractors, says a it is often declared hazardous to drink. study conducted at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana last year. Now, our farmer has his tractor, his steel- The craze to possess a tractor, usually of belted radials, and his petrol. He fires up higher horsepower than they needed, the engine and thinks. "With this tractor I drove many farmers to take heavy loans can do the work of fifty oxen." He looks at — only to be saddled later with high his oxen and says, "I don't need you any maintenance costs, according to an editori- more. I have my tractor. I have my petro- al in the Economic and Political Weekly of leum. You can go to the slaughterhouse." October 25, 2003.” -- Down to Earth, Trac- tor Crazy, Vol 13 ,No 11 October 31, 2004

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Then he looks at his teamsters who used have committed suicide, many drinking the to work those oxen, people who worked chemical that was supposed to make their in the mode of goodness in the fields, crops more, not less, productive.” growing grains, and vegetables. He says, “I've already killed my oxen. I have my Nature’s Factory tractor, I have no work for you. You are So, what is the alternative? When a cow unemployed. Why don't you go to the city gives birth, about half the time the calf is a and work in the factory to make more bull. These bulls are God's tractors, pro- machines, or beg in the street?” If he does duced in the “factory” of the mother's not employ anyone and does the ox work womb. This factory does not pollute or himself he is thinking, “Now my life will create hellish working conditions. And, it be easier, I will not have to work so hard.” operates by the laws of nature, which God has arranged. With this tractor there is no Then he takes the tractor out to plow his pollution because it can grow its own fuel- field. Its heavy tires compact the earth, so oats and grasses and even the wastes are the roots of his hybrid plants have trouble useful. Cow manure can be processed to growing. He no longer has manure to yield methane, a clean burning fuel. The nourish the soil, so he pours on commer- residue can go into the ground as a first cial fertilizer, made with huge inputs of class fertilizer and soil-builder. Now there natural gas. Because the crops eventually is no need for by-products from the deplete the organic substances in the soil slaughterhouse to build organic content, that hold the moisture, his soil easily nor pesticides. washes away into the stream. The weak soil that is left grows weak plants easy With this tractor, there is no violence. The prey for weeds, bugs, and disease. So, the relationship between the farmer and the farmer brings out his arsenal of pesticides. oxen is based on love and trust. The These also wash downstream. To acquire farmer works side by side with the oxen the pesticides, the farmer takes out anoth- and when the oxen see the farmer, they er high interest loan. Now he is in debt for expect to be petted and stroked under the the tractor and the pesticides. neck. In return, they like to work and they work well with an experienced farmer. Seeds of Suicide, a 2005 documentary film by Frontline/World correspondent Chad “The bull is the emblem of the moral prin- Heeter, who is a student at U.C. Berkeley ciple, and the cow is the representative of Graduate School of Journalism, was the earth. When the bull and the cow are filmed in Andhra Pradesh. The film stat- in a joyful mood, it is to be understood ed; “Last summer an average of seven that the people of the world are also in a farmers killed themselves every day. In joyful mood. The reason is that the bull this part of the world, machinery, chemi- helps production of grains in the agricul- cal fertilizers, pesticides and hybrid seeds tural field, and the cow delivers milk, the - all of which originated in the West - often miracle of aggregate food values.” - spell disaster rather than prosperity. In - Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam India since 1997, more than 25,000 farmers 1.16.18 Purport.

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Part 2: Working Oxen Benefit the Earth

Lakshmi and Balabhadra training Nara and Narayan, a young team of Milking Shorthorns.

uppose someone told you that on routine maintenance? And would you the Exxon Corporation accept the fact that this mobile power “S (formerly Esso) had developed source has no steering wheel but works on a farm vehicle as strong as a tractor but a remote control system that requires you capable of going where no ordinary tractor only to walk alongside giving voice direc- can . . . through waist-high snow, knee- tions? deep mud, and up and down steep, rocky hillsides. That instead of using exhaustible Well, believe it or not, the O.X.EN does and irreplaceable fuels such as gasoline exist . . . but it's neither experimental nor and kerosene, this invention ran on any the invention of Exxon, for it's been used high-protein vegetable matter, even grass. successfully as long as man can remem- ber.” Mother Earth News , John R, Scarlett, That instead of noxious exhaust it pro- May/June, 1973 duced a biodegradable substance almost unequaled as a fertilizer. And that—on top The relationship between the ox, the hu- of all these other advantages—it had a life man teamster and the Earth is an agricul- expectancy of 20 years and cost as little as turally sustainable relationship and it is $50.00 brand new, with a resale value as also a spiritually rewarding one. high as $2,000! Stewardship is a term which means that a If you were offered such a creation, would person is taking care of something which you be willing to spend 20 minutes a day belongs to someone else. In the case of

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Balabhadra and helper planting grain with a three row grain drill and a team of oxen at Prabhupada Village, North Carolina, in the 1994.

farming it is to be understood that the land, Mother Earth, has been given to us by God in a pristine condition capable of sustaining the population of the planet including insects, land creatures, aquatics, winged creatures and human beings.

The human beings are the only group who have taken it upon themselves to try and better something, Mother Earth, which is already perfect and complete unto itself. Humans have the responsibil- ity to be stewards and practice stewardship in order to protect Mother Earth from being exploited and ravaged of Her natural resources, many of which are non- renewable such as oil, natural gas and coal, as well as many metals. Balabhadra training a young ox at the ISCOWP farm in West Virginia.

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Farming can also be described as Agri- ploited and murdered then the life of the culture which translates as the culture of land and its inhabitants will suffer accord- the land. Agri-culture is the nurturing of ing to the harshness of the treatment of the life from life. Maintaining the life of the innocent animals. land and all the living entities whose lives and health depend on the purity of agri- There is a built in “Catch 22” which is cultural practices of mankind. called karma. For every action there is a reaction. The cow and bull are the bearers The land is a living entity which survives of many gifts such as manure (farmers or dies according to how it is nurtured gold), milk and all its different manifesta- and cared for. If we continue to poison the tions, and the ability of the bulls to pro- land with petrochemical fertilizers, herbi- vide “draft power” to accomplish many cides and pesticides and genetically modi- different agri-cultural tasks as well as fied/hybrid seeds we will continue to transportation. When the cow and bull are poison all the living entities whose lives murdered then all of these gifts disappear are supported by this form of agriculture. as well.

One of the natural resources which is be- Lets be better stewards for the sake of ing seriously depleted and abused is the generations to come and Mother Earth. cow and bull. When the innocent creatures, especially the cow and bull, are ex- Written by Balabhadra das

Trainer Balabhadra looks on as Dhananjaya takes Madhava and Kesava on a left turn.

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 17

How The Cow and Bull Benefit Our Society Part 1: Cow Dung And Urine, A Bioresource

conomic gains from meat are ing cow by-products utilized in India for the basis for the cattle industry, thousands of years in various ways. West- while economic gains from milk ern countries are also recognizing cow dung are the basis for the dairy indus- and urine for their many useful purposes. Etry. To achieve these gains in the cattle industry, slaughtering is an integral part The Vedic scriptures of India inform us the of the industry. However, do not think cow, its dung, and urine are very valuable. that slaughtering is absent in the dairy "The ground becomes purified by smearing industry. Because the dairy farmer has a with cow dung." -- Brahma Purana 113. 124. certain quota of milk he must meet to turn The following qualities are described in a profit, he must sell his cows who are not Sushrut Sanhita Sutra, a five thou•sand producing their quota of milk. Another years old Ayurvedic text, chap•ter 45 vers- economic bottom line for the dairy farmer es 217, 220, and 221. Cow urine is bitter, is the unproductive male progeny of his pungent, hot, and eas•ily digestible, cows, which he sells to the meat industry strengthens the brain, and cures cough. It is a destroyer of colic, stomach pain, constipation, itching pain, eczema, and mouth diseases. It destroys Vitiligo, Lecoderma, and Leprosy. It cures eye diseases. It cures Ameobiosis, dysentery, diarrhea, all problems due to gas, cough, swelling, stomach diseases, and is antibiotic. In addition, it cures jaundice, spleen enlargement, ear diseases, asthma, constipation, and anemia.

However, these are quotes from ancient Cow dung “cakes” formed by hand. Vedic scriptures. Are the cow by-products of today still potent? Is the value of cow or veal industry. Due to their cruel and dung and urine just a sentiment and an- unnecessary slaughtering practices, such cient belief or is there any scientific proof industries accumulate intensive Karmic of its value? reactions. During a lecture given in 2007 at the Vish- It is possible to develop other cow by- wa Gou Sammelan in Hosanagara, India, products that offer Karma free economic D. Jayarama Bhat of Goa University and B. gain. Cow dung and urine are some amaz- Harishchandra Bhat of Bangalore Univer-

18 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News sity explained the bioresource of nutrient properties of cow dung, cow urine, and and medicine producing fungi contained other Gavyas of Panchagavya. "Since an- in cow dung. cient times in Ayurved we find repeated mention of the importance of cows milk, Mainly fungi, through a process called curd, ghee, cow urine and cow dung in the succession, decompose cow dung. The treat•ment of various human ailments, All many different types of cow dung fungi these five products obtained from the cow are a source of me•dicinal and nutritional are called Gavya individu•ally and collec- important bio-chemicals seen by a micro- tively called Panchagavya. Every one of

ISCOWP Cow dung is collected and formed into small round “cakes” which are dried by the sun. scope. They are nonpathogenic and harm- these five products obtained from the cow less. Some of the medicinal chemicals and has distinct qualities and uses for health their functions found in the fungi: Cyclo- care, agriculture, and other fields." -- Go- sporin suppresses the immune system and Vigyan Anusandha Kendra booklet helps in organ transplants; Acyclic Tricar- boxylic acids are antifungal agents, cho- Joint research con•ducted by the Scientists lesterol lowering, and anti cancer agents; of Central Institute of Medicinal and Aro- and Benzoquinones are antibacterial and matic Plants, a Central Scientific and In- antifungal antibiotics. Some of the dustrial Research (CSIR) laboratory, and nutraceutical molecules in cow dung: Go-Vigyan Anusandhan Kendra, Nagpur, Carotenoids are helpful in the mainte- has resulted in the granting of a US patent nance of visual system and a precursor of for a unique pharmaceutical composition. Vitamin A; Fumeric acid is used to treat psoriasis; and Pufa, a C-linolinic Acid, The research discovered the unique bioen- facilitates growth of infants. hancing activity in a specific cow urine distillate, which enhances the anti- The Go-Vigyan Anusandha Kendra in microbial effects of antibiotic and anti- Nagpur,India (www.govigyan.com) has fungal agents. been conducting scientific research of the

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 19

This contemporary finding is the synergy Nagpur research activities in collabora- of Indian traditional wisdom and modern tion with the National Botanical Research science. The impact of this novel patent Institute in Lucknow, the Indian Agricul- will be on reducing the dosage of drugs to tural Research Institute, New Delhi, the get a given therapeutic effect. It will also Central Institute of Cotton Research, Nag- reduce the cost of treatment and the side pur, and others, concluded that cow urine effects due to toxicity, according to the mixed with Neem leaves and other natu- details of the research paper. ral ingredients proved to be successful in eliminating harm•ful bugs and insects and Until recently there has not been much improving growth in various plant species. scientific proof of the efficacy of using cow dung and urine regardless of its success in Such scientific research sup•ports the various cases. That is why the work at the statements of the Vedas. Yes, cow dung Go-Vigyan Anusandhen Kendra is so im- and urine are benefi•cial to humans and portant. "Scientists and Vaidyas attached plants! Why slaugh•ter the cow when she to Go-Vigyan Anusandhen Kendra have cannot produce milk and she is still pro• studied different aspects of Panchgavya ducing dung and urine? Why slaughter the mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts and bull because he will never produce milk carried out clinical trials etc. on basis of when he produced dung and urine? Why these texts with encouraging results. Vali- not make medicines, fertilizers, pesti•cides, dated by clinical trial we have opened up a and tonics or sell the dung and urine to new branch of medical treatment called those who are making these products? Panchagavya Ayurvedic System, which is giving promising results. " -- Go-Vigyan These are only some of the practical uses Anusandha Kendra booklet of cow dung and urine. There are others both spiritual and practical. The potential Here are some interesting facts found about of a vast number of beneficial products cow urine by the Go-Vigyan Anusandha made from cow dung and urine is tremen- Kendra. Differ•ent types of proteins found dous not to mention the energy generated in cow urine increase immune power of the from biogas obtained from cow manure. human body; cow urine acts on can•cer because cow urine contains vari•ous anti oxi- "Cow urine and cow dung are uncontami- dant agents that destroy active iron free nated, and since the urine and dung of a radicals from cancer affected body parts. cow are important, we can just imagine Vitamin C, E, and A are major anti-oxidants how important this animal is for human found in cow urine. Apart from these, two civilization. Therefore the Supreme Person- constituents found in cow urine, viz. Inter- ality of Godhead, Krsna, directly advocates pheron protein, and Immu•nostimulato go-raksya, the protection of cows." - protein, cure cancer. - Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.8.11 purport Besides medicinal and nutritional ingredients in cow dung and urine, there are also Written by Chand Prasad PHD agricultural beneficial ingredients. The

20 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News

Part 2: Cow Manure is an

Environmental Hazard, Or Is It?

Radhapriya is giving the ox Priya a pleasurable neck massage.

n the past few years we have been These statements may come at an oppor- hearing alarming news how cow ma- tune moment for factory owners and car I nure is one of the major reasons for manufacturing companies, since now the the destruction of the ozone layer, blame for all environmental issues can be amongst other environmental hazards. The placed on the cows and they are “let off the United Nations, for examples, released a hook.” However, these claims require clos- report at the end of 2006 saying that er examination. “Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious envi- If we continue to read the statements on ronmental problems” and that “Cattle- the EPA website we will discover that rearing is also a major source of land and while cow manure has been found to be a water degradation” [1]. Similarly, accord- possible cause of various diseases and pol- ing to the EPA (United States Environmen- lutions, it is the mismanagement of raising tal Protection Agency), cow waste may be cattle that is the actual cause. The EPA a great threat to the environment. The EPA places the blame on AFO’s or Animal Feed- warns us that cow waste mismanagement ing Operations which are mismanaged. In can result in drinking water contamina- fact, it is only when cattle are “kept and tion, river and stream water contamination raised in confined areas” that cow waste and air pollution [2]. may pose a threat to the environment. “If properly stored and used,” the report continues, “manure from animal feeding oper-

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 21 ations can be a valuable resource. Apply- case of organic farms. Therefore, we do not ing manure to land can be an environmen- wish to deny the hazard that the cattle in- tally sound approach to fertilizing fields. dustry has created to the planet, what we Manure can also be used in digesters do wish to stress is that it is the industry (machines which decompose manure and that is the problem and not the cows. In capture the methane gas emitted) to pro- other words, when cows are raised in a duce electricity, and other useful by- loving environment, never sent to slaughter products such as ethanol.” and their by-products such as milk, dung and urine are used properly, the cows actually benefit the environment.

When cows are being used as food suppli- ers, exploited for their milk and meat, how they are kept becomes completely irrele- vant to their owners. These farm owners’ concerns are similar to those of every other capitalist: how to make a larger profit with the least amount of expense. Under these Amrita looking for her herd mates. conditions cows and bulls, instead of being beneficial for human society, become actu- As discussed in the previous article “The ally poisonous. Benefits of Cow Dung and Urine,” according to the ancient Vedic culture, cow dung and urine are among the most purifying agents and hold many benefits. Srila Prabhupada confirms that “Protection and grazing grounds for the cows are among the essential needs for society and the wel- fare of people in general…” [3].

It is crucial that we realize the benefits of allowing cows to graze naturally instead of keeping them imprisoned within ce- Jahnava Sanga during an afternoon nap. ment facilities. In dairy and cattle farms where the cows never have access to grass- To further explain our point, we would land, the cow waste piles up on cement like to stress how any good thing that is floors where it cannot gradually percolate misused can become a danger. Let us think into the ground and in its concentrated for a moment about food, for example; form it can become an environmental haz- everyone has to eat. The question is not ard. Even more so, we need to understand whether or not one should eat, but, rather that the real problem is when cattle is what one eats and how one eats that mat- raised as food, even in cases in which they ters. Overeating can cause obesity that are allowed to graze freely, such as in the may result in many further health prob-

22 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News lems. Eating foods that go bad can cause from God’s creation in an unnatural way, food poisoning. Some foods may clog the due to ignorance, it destroys the whole veins with cholesterol and can be deadly to structure. It would be just like taking a those who are already suffering from heart small screw out of a big machine, the ma- conditions. These are just some examples. chine might manage to function for some One further example that can be drawn time without that screw, however eventu- from the Vedic scriptures and which Srila ally the whole structure will collapse. Prabhupada used to refer to often is that of milk. “Milk is good, but as soon as it is In order for our environment to be able to touched by the snake it becomes poison- work properly, human beings need to un- ous” [4]. derstand that they are, in fact, just one small part of a huge operation. It is when The consumption of milk from protected cows is known throughout the Vedic scrip- The EPA (United States tures to be very beneficial for human be- Environmental Protection ings as it helps develop the finer tissues in the brain. However, when that same milk Agency), places the blame is touched by a serpent, the poison in the on AFO’s or Animal serpent’s mouth is transferred to the milk Feeding Operations which which than becomes poisonous as well. are mismanaged. In fact, it is Therefore, what was once good for humans becomes immediately deadly. only when cattle are “kept and raised in confined areas” I would like to argue, therefore, that cows that cow waste may pose a are not the ones at fault, and their manure is not such of an environmental hazard. It threat to the environment. is the way the cows are treated and misused that can cause serious environmental humans develop a greedy mentality that problems. When cows are allowed to graze things go sour. When humans desire to freely in grassland, which is their natural control a creation that is not theirs, that way of living, and are not raised as part of does not belong to them but of which they the meat and dairy industry, we find that are simply a part, that creation crumbles. their manure is not dangerous but actually It is when cattle is raised to be consumed beneficial to nature’s natural cycle. How- and not raised to be loved that we have to ever, when cows are exploited for their realize that we got it all wrong. milk and meat and kept in unnatural envi- ronments, their manure, once part of the It is only the creator of a system that can earth’s rejuvenation cycle, becomes poison. fully know and understand how that same In fact, God created the world perfectly, system operates. Therefore, it is only God, every organism, every animated and unan- the creator of this world, Who can fully imated part of creation has it function, its understand how it functions. When we try role for the maintenance of a healthy envi- to exploit that creation without being able ronment. When something is extracted to fully understand it we cause more harm

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 23 than good. Therefore, we should try to use God’s resources in the way they were allot- The Facts ted to us, in the way God designed them to These facts are taken from the Cowspiracy (a be used by us. new documentary) website (cowspiracy.com).

Humans can consume milk from protected Global Warming cows, dung and urine from protected bulls A farm with 2500 dairy cows produces the and cows can be used as fertilizers and same amount of waste as a city of 411,000 medicines. The bull can be used to help people. Cows produce 150 billion gallons of work the land and produce grain. In this methane per day. Methane is 25-100 times way, mankind and animals can live togeth- more destructive than CO2. Methane has a er peacefully and benefit from each other. global warming power 86 times that of CO2. That is the way it was designed by God CO2 is produced by transportation, and that is what we find stated in the an- electricity, gas, etc. cient scriptures. These scriptures act as our manuals and guides to a good life on this Water earth and to our elevation to a spiritual 5% of water in the US is used by private destination after death. Returning to a life- homes. 55% of the water in the US is used style that is based on these manuals and for animal agriculture. The meat and dairy abandoning the lifestyle that propagates industries combined use nearly 1/3 (29%) of consumption and exploitation of the all the fresh water in the world today. earth’s resources is the real answer to a healthy environment. Wildlife 10,000 years ago we made up only 1% of the Written by Sukhayanti devi dasi worlds’ population. Today, human beings and their livestock make up 98% of the bio- List of references: mass while wild life makes up only 2%. The [1] UN News Centre - http:// primary cause for the loss of species is over www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp? grazing and habitat loss from livestock pro- newsID=20772&#.U_9DpPldWi8 duction. [2] EPA Website - http://www.epa.gov/ region9/animalwaste/ Rainforest problem.html#pagetop Animal agriculture is responsible for 91% of [3] Srila Prabhupada, Light of the Bha- Amazon destruction. An acre of rainforest gavata, Preface. land is cleared every second mainly to graze [4] Srila Prabhupada, Light of the Bha- animals and grow their soy-bean food crops. gavata 33, purport. Population Throughout the world, humans drink 5.2 billion gallons of water and eat 21 billion pounds of food each day. Worldwide, cows drink 45 billion gallons of water and eat 135 billion pounds of food each day.

24 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News

Violence To The Cow and Bull

Creates Violence To Humankind Part 1: Why September 11?

The calves who were rescued from an auction barn are being bottle fed twice a day.

oon after the events of September 11 such incidences. The quotes are from talks and some of our members have called to get purports of Vedic scriptures by His Divine S our understanding of this tragedy. The Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada, reasons that cause any kind of war are the Founder Acharya of the International Society same, whether it may be a terrorist attack on for Krsna Consciousness, as well as from vari- the United States, conflicts in the Middle East ous other religious scriptures and authors. or any other kind of human-made violence. That being so, we thought the article published The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you 13 years ago in one of our issues to still be would have others do onto you,” Is one of relevant to the current day tragedies the world the uniting principles in the world’s major is facing. religious traditions. In Judaism, it is taught, “What is hateful to you, do not to The following article is a series of quotes con- your fellowmen.” -- Talmud, Shabbat 31a necting animal slaughter, specifically cow Christianity teaches, “Whatever ye would slaughter, to war and tragedy. In reality, cow that men should do to you, do you even protection is at the forefront of preventing so to them.” -- Matthew 7:12. The followers

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 25 of Islam declare, “No one of you is a be- fellow men.” -- Saint Francis of Assisi liever until he desires for his brother that (mystic and preacher) which he desires for himself.” -- Sunnah, Hadith. In Confucianism it is said, “Surely “Prabhupada: [...] But in the western it is the maxim of loving kindness: Do not country the cows are specially being unto others that which you would not have killed. Now the reaction is war, crime, them do unto you.” -- Analects 15.23. Bud- and they are now repentant. And they dhism also teaches, “Hurt not others in will have to repent more and more. ways that you yourself would find hurt- Jayatirtha: So the wars and the crime are ful.” -- Udana-Varga 5.18. And finally, in a direct result of the cow slaughter. the world’s earliest religious scriptures, the Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. It is a Vedic literature, we find, “This is the sum wholesale reaction. All these crises are of duty: Do naught unto others which taking place.[...]” -- Room Conversation would cause you pain if done unto you.” with Mr. & Mrs. Wax, Writer and Editing -- Mahabharata 5.1517. Manager of Playboy Magazine -- July 5, 1975, Chicago The world of science echoes the world’s religions with its own equivalent of the "Until he extends the circle of compassion Golden Rule. Newton’s Third Law of Mo- to all living things, man will not himself tion says that “For every action, there is an find peace." -- Albert Schweitzer equal and opposite reaction.” While New- ton’s law applies only to material nature, “Until we have the courage the implications run deeper still, extending to recognize cruelty for to the most subtle levels of existence. In the what it is--whether its vic- East, this is called the law of karma. tim is human or animal- In a very fundamental sense, too, this law we cannot expect things to relates to our treatment of animals. The be much better in this violence in society is at least in part the result of our merciless diet and abuse of world…” Rachel Carson the natural world around us. In karmic terms, violence begets violence. In dietary “In this age of Kali the propensity for terms, you are what you eat.” -- Food for the mercy is almost nil. Consequently, there Spirit, Steven Rosen is always fighting and wars between men and nations. Men do not understand that “Not to hurt our humble brethren (the ani- because they unrestrictedly kill so many mals) is our first duty to them, but to stop animals, they also must be slaughtered there is not enough. We have a higher mis- like animals in big wars. This is very sion—to be of service to them whenever much evident in the Western countries. they require it... If you have men who will In the West, slaughterhouses are main- exclude any of God's creatures from the tained without restriction, and therefore shelter of compassion and pity, you will every fifth or tenth year there is a big war have men who will deal likewise with their in which countless people are slaugh-

26 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News tered even more cruelly than the ani- ture. By every act that glorifies or even mals.”-- Srila Prabhupada Srimad Bha- tolerates such moronic delight in killing gavatam 4.26.5 Purport we set back the progress of humanity." -- Rachel Carson “To be nonviolent to human beings and to be a killer or enemy of the poor animals is “We are the living graves of murdered beasts, slaughtered to satisfy our appe- tites. How can we hope in this world to attain the peace we say we are so anxious for?” -- George Bernard Shaw (Living Graves, published 1951)

“As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.” -- Pythagoras (6th century BC)

“We don't want to stop trade or the production of grains and vegetables and fruit. But we want to stop these killing houses. It is very, very sinful. That is why all over the world they have so many wars. Every ten or fifteen years there is a big war— a wholesale slaughterhouse for humankind. Developing a loving relationship. But these rascals—they do not see it, that by the law of karma, every action must Satan's philosophy. In this age there is have its reaction. You are killing innocent enmity toward poor animals, and there- cows and other animals— nature will take fore the poor creatures are always anx- revenge. Just wait. As soon as the time is ious. The reaction of the poor animals is right, nature will gather all these rascals being forced on human society, and there- and slaughter them. Finished. They'll fore there is always the strain of cold or fight amongst themselves— Protestants hot war between men, individually, collec- and Catholics, Russia and America, this tively or nationally.” -- Srila Prabhupada one and that one. It is going on. Why? Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.6 Purport That is nature's law. Tit for tat. "You have killed. Now you kill yourselves. They are "Until we have the courage to recognize sending animals to the slaughterhouse, cruelty for what it is—whether its victim is and now they'll create their own slaugh- human or animal—we cannot expect terhouse. [Imitating gunfire:] Tung! Tung! things to be much better in this world... Kill! Kill! You see? Just take Belfast, for We cannot have peace among men whose example. The Roman Catholics are killing hearts delight in killing any living crea- the Protestants, and the Protestants are

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 27 killing the Catholics. This is nature's law.” “To kill cows means to end human civili- -- Srila Prabhupada, Room Conversation -- zation.” -- Srila Prabhupada Srimad Bha-

June 11, 1974, Paris gavatam 1.4.9 Purport

Slaughterhouse Civilization “The cow’s calf not only is beautiful to “As long as there are slaughterhouses, look at, but also gives satisfaction to the there will be battlefields." -- Leo Tolstoy, cow, and so she delivers as much milk as “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, every- possible. But in the Kali-yuga, the calves one would be vegetarian. We feel better are separated from the cows as early as about ourselves and better about the ani- possible for purposes which may not be mals, knowing we're not contributing to mentioned in these pages of Srimad Bha- their pain.” -- Paul and Linda McCartney gavatam. The cow stands with tears in her eyes, the sudra milkman draws milk “Panca-gavya, the five products received from the cow artificially, and when there from the cow, namely milk, yogurt, ghee, is no milk the cow is sent to be slaugh- cow dung and cow urine, are required in tered. These greatly sinful acts are re- all ritualistic ceremonies performed ac- sponsible for all the troubles in present cording to the Vedic directions. Cow urine society.” -- Srila Prabhupada Srimad Bha- and cow dung are uncontaminated, and gavatam 1.17.3 Purport since even the urine and dung of a cow are important, we can just imagine how im- “According to Manu, the great author of portant this animal is for human civiliza- civic codes and religious principles, even tion. Therefore the Supreme Personality of the killer of an animal is to be considered Godhead, Krsna, directly advocates go- a murderer because animal food is never raksya, the protection of cows. Civilized meant for the civilized man, whose prime men who follow the system of varnasrama, duty is to prepare himself for going back especially those of the vaisya class, who to Godhead. He says that in the act of engage in agriculture and trade, must give killing an animal, there is a regular con- protection to the cows. Unfortunately, be- spiracy by the party of sinners, and all of cause people in Kali-yuga are mandah, all them are liable to be punished as murder- bad, and sumanda-matayah, misled by ers exactly like a party of conspirators false conceptions of life, they are killing who kill a human being combinedly. He cows in the thousands. Therefore they are who gives permission, he who kills the unfortunate in spiritual consciousness, and animal, he who sells the slaughtered ani- nature disturbs them in so many ways, mal, he who cooks the animal, he who especially through incurable diseases like administers distribution of the foodstuff, cancer and through frequent wars and and at last he who eats such cooked ani- among nations. As long as human society mal food are all murderers, and all of continues to allow cows to be regularly them are liable to be punished by the killed in slaughterhouses, there cannot be laws of nature” -- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad any question of peace and prosperity.” Bhagavatam 1.7.37 Purport. -- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam Compiled by Chayadevi 8.8.11 Purport

28 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News

Part 2: The Cause of Animal Slaughter is a Godless Society

ome people may question the con- Srila Prabhupada explains how the Vedic nection that animal killing might scriptures declare what we eat and what S have with today’s world problems we allow to enter our body affects our such as war, famine and domestic vio- consciousness. If what we consume is food lence, just to name a few. However, ac- that was produced through violence, why cording to the Vedic scriptures, due to the would we be surprised that the world law of karma, such a connection is inevita- around us is suffering from an acute vio- ble. Most of us are by now familiar with lence disorder? the term “Karma,” for those who are not, the phrase “what goes around, comes around” will probably sound more familiar. And it is actually a fact that for every action we make there has to be some kind of reaction. Taking a gross example for this purpose, if we over cook rice, it will get burned. Therefore, if our societies base their culture and everyday life on violent acts, what they will encounter in return is more violence.

Animal slaughter is without a doubt one The three Brahmin cows: Amrita, Sri and of the most violent acts that humankind Priya, resting together in the pasture. can commit. After all, animals, even the most ferocious ones and especially the I would like to take this topic to a different peaceful and gentle animals such as cows, direction, having acknowledged the fact are ultimately much less advantaged than that violence generates violence and what human beings and deserve our protection, we eat will affect who we are. I would now not our abuse. This is so since they do not like to discuss how all this is connected to have the intelligence and therefore the God-realization and spirituality. capacity to create mass murder factories such as the meat and the dairy industries One of the basic teachings of the Vedic which kill 42 million animals per year in scriptures is that all living entities are a the USA alone (peta.org). That being the spirit soul, one’s body is temporary but the case, it is no wonder why our contempo- soul is eternal. The Vedic scriptures there- rary world is saturated with hate, war and fore teach us that it is not only human bod- violence. After all, animal flesh and by- ies that contain a soul, but it is also an ani- products is our daily menu, what we con- mal body that contains one, and the law of sume for breakfast, lunch and dinner. reincarnation further explains how this is

ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 29 so. If we take this wisdom into considera- verse, rather that God is. Having realized tion, than we must realize that animals are that, one starts to show respect to other not commodities but are living beings and living beings since they are in reality, no should be treated with respect. Just as hu- different than oneself, they are simply man beings are sons and daughters of the souls seeking their way home, back to God. Supreme Lord, so are the animals. Hence, they need to be protected just as much as A society that will be based on God con- any human being should be. Just as we sciousness and which will be God centered would never dream of taking away a will have to naturally become a selfless mother’s children, send them to slaughter society in which the existence of violence and the moment she cannot produce does not manifest. Satisfying the tongue enough milk for us, slaughter her as well. would not be one of the most important Therefore, we should not do these violent moments of the day, rather satisfying acts to mother cow. We should not drain God’s desires will become much more cru- her of her milk and then kill her, nor cial. I would like to argue that a utopian should we send her offspring off to be world can exist the moment people shift fattened up and then slaughtered. their attention from the needs of their temporary bodies and minds and start serving The root cause for this the desire of the Supreme Lord. In such a violence and killing mentality society no violence will exist because it is never God’s desire to see His own created is a Godless society. beings being hurt, man or animal.

According to Srila Prabhupada, the root In such a utopian world, there will be no cause for this violence and killing mentali- question of the existence of slaughter hous- ty is a Godless society. In a Godless socie- es, of meat-eating , and the cows and the ty, instead of focusing on satisfying God’s bulls would be loved, cared for and pro- desires, one is interested only in one’s own tected while at the same time utilized for selfish desires. We see that in order to sat- working the fields and helping to provide isfy one’s taste, people are willing to eat food to humans. Such a utopian world can meat and commercial dairy products with- exist; it is a question of shifting one’s men- out considering where they have come tality, one’s consciousness and society’s from and the process by which these foods values to include God consciousness. was obtained. A God conscious person, however, must acknowledge that life can In such a world, violence does not gener- be much more meaningful than merely ate violence for the simple fact that it just satisfying one’s own selfish needs, and does not exist. In such a world, human that life is, in fact, meant to be used for self beings do not kill animals and therefore -realization. humans do not kill humans, wars are practically unknown, abuse is an unfamil- Through the process of self-realization one iar word and hunger is something told in automatically becomes caring, having real- fairy tales. ized that one is not the center of the uni- Written by sukhayanti devi dasi

30 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News

Krishna was too big for the petting zoo and about to be slaughtered when rescued by ISCOWP. ISCOWP News / Volume 24 Issue 2/ 2014 31

Protect Cows Protect the Protect Earth Cows

Protect the Earth

32 2014/ Volume 24 Issue 2/ ISCOWP News